The Best Burgers in New York City

Everyone loves a good burger and residents of New York City are no exception. As a matter of fact, the foodies who make up the culinary population in Manhattan can be some of the most critical eaters in the world, and they take their burgers seriously. That's why it's no surprise that there are hundreds of places to be found all over the city that will serve you one of the best burgers you'll ever eat. There are endless combinations of burger type, toppings and condiments, but there are a few that standout from them all. Places like Minetta Tavern and The Spotted Pig feature succulent caramelized onions and heavenly Roquefort cheese and are nothing to be sneezed at. But there are 3 that stand alone due to their options, affordability and downright delectability.

The first place that should be on the top any local, visitor or passerby's list for the must have burger, is Shake Shack, located in the heart of Madison Square Park in the Flatiron District. The Shake Shack burger will run you around $7 but the melt in the mouth beef will make you think it cost you twice as much. Now, during the warmer weather, the line will stretch around and around and around the park, sometimes hundreds of people deep. The good news is that they offer a "Shack Cam" where you can see what the line is doing in real time and hopefully sneak down for a bite when the line becomes a little more manageable. Purveyor Danny Meyer of Blue Smoke and Union Square Cafe fame knows that he has a great thing going so there have been four other locations opened in New York City where you can sample the world famous shakes and fries among other things while hopefully avoiding the lines of Madison Square Park. The line is long but you won't be disappointed! The other locations can be found on their website (www.shakeshack.com).

The next stop on your list should be Five Napkin Burger on 45^th Street and 9^th Avenue. While the Shack Shake offers a limited array of menu options, the Five Napkin Burger offers not only a variety of different burger types, but they also have a great selection of appetizers (try the spinach and artichoke dip), entrees, salads and even sushi! The prices are a tad more expensive than one would expect to pay for a burger, but the options, atmosphere and quality are well worth it. The eating area can get a bit cramped (there are limited seats but they do take reservations) and the wait can be long, but they offer a great choice of beer, wine and cocktails that help make the wait a little more bearable. For my money, I would suggest the Ahi Tuna Burger. It's marinated in ginger and soy and topped with tempura fried onions and wasabi mayo. It might be the best non-beef burger you will ever eat. The great thing about the Five Napkin Burger is that they offer plenty of non-beef options like burgers made out of lamb, turkey and the aforementioned Ahi burger. They even have a 1 lb. burger for two! You better be hungry if you plan on trying to tackle this behemoth. They've recently opened another location on 84^th and Broadway so if the Hell's Kitchen location is too packed you should be able to find some more space just uptown. It's a must visit for any burger aficionado.

There are all sorts of little hidden gems located in New York, but one that you've probably not heard of is Molly's located in the Gramercy section of the city on 3^rd Avenue and 23^rd Street. It's a little whole in the wall but has without a doubt one of the best burgers you will ever eat. You can almost always get a table and the sawdust on the floor will remind you of old Dublin as you enjoy a Guinness and a sampling of fine Irish cooking. You wouldn't expect an Irish pub to have a great burger, but it is succulent and simple, and an absolute joy to eat. The basic burger is the way to go, but they offer bacon, bleu cheese and other toppings that you can add to spice things up a little. You can almost always get a seat but if you cant, the old Irish locals will be sure to regale will tales from the homeland while you wait. It's a quaint and modest place, but you will not be disappointed when you take that first bite of the city's best burger!

There are too many burger places to count in New York City, but these three will leave you satisfied and coming back for more every time. I can assure you that you will enjoy every bite and leave raving about each place.

Info:

Shake Shack

www.shakeshack.com

msp@shakeshack.com

Madison Square Park (other locations available)
New York, NY 10010
212-889-6600

Five Napkin Burger

http://www.fivenapkinburger.com/

fivenapkinburger@gmail.com

Hell's Kitchen


630 9th Avenue @ 45th Street
New York, NY 10036
212-757-2277

Upper West Side 


2315 Broadway @ 84th Street

New York, NY 10024
212-333-4488

Molly's

http://www.mollysshebeen.com/

287 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10010
212-889-3361